Abstract

We propose a way of fast switching the chirality in a magnetic nanodisk by applying a field pulse. To break the symmetry with respect to clockwise or counterclockwise chirality, a mask is added by which an inhomogeneous field influences the vortex state of a nanodisk. Using numerical spin-lattice simulations, we demonstrate that chirality can be controllably switched by a field pulse, whose intensity is above some critical value. A mathematical definition for the chirality of an arbitrary shaped particle is proposed.

The authors thank H. Stoll for attracting their attention to the magnetic core memory devices problem and M. Fähnle for stimulating discussions. D.D.S. and Yu. G. thank the University of Bayreuth, where this work was performed, for kind hospitality, and acknowledge the support from DLR Grant No. UKR 05/055. D.D.S. acknowledges the support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and Grant No. F25.2/098 from the Fundamental Researches State Fund of Ukraine.